Progress in China by A. C. Selmon

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · May 16, 1911

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 19.

Progress in China

By A. C. Selmon

"O send out Thy light and Thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto Thy holy hill." Ps. 43:3. So the psalmist prayed, and such is the prayer that is going up to-day from honest souls throughout the Orient. Any who have read the few Chinese Christian biographies that have been written, could not fail to be impressed with the earnestness that possesses these people when they are searching for the light.

As the literature of this warning message goes out from our press here in Shanghai, we are assured that God, by His Holy Spirit, will impress men to study and accept the truth. An instance of this is seen in the following circumstance. A young man who is engaged as a clerk by an English firm, writes us from the Federated Malay States as follows:

Three Chinese preachers, one ordained and two licensed. All three men were signally led of God to accept present truth.

I beg to notify you that through reading the [Chinese] Signs of the Times last year, I obtained abundance of blessings, especially the knowledge of the Sabbath truth. I now know that the Sabbath was changed, and that the tradition that Christians should keep Sunday has found a place in the churches of almost every denomination. It is fortunate for us, as I feel, that we have some earnest people of your respected church to give a warning message to the people of the last days. ["To be an alarm-tell for the last generation," is the Chinese expression used.] I very much hope that God will impress the hearts of the people of all churches, that they may see which is right and which is wrong.

Enclosed please find $1.00, for which send me 100 copies of "God's Love for Man."

Recently two of our Chinese brethren went over to the island of Formosa. So far as we know it is the first time any of our faith have ever set foot on the island. These brethren, during the time they remained there, secured over two hundred subscriptions for the Shi Djao Yuoh Bao, and in addition sold a large number of single copies of the paper. They also sold over two thousand copies of tracts, and five thousand four hundred Sabbath calendars. They report meeting a man who stated that over ten years ago he heard that there were many sects among the Protestant churches. He had always felt convinced that among these sects one church would be found that had the true doctrine. As our brethren held studies with the man, he was impressed that he had found the true doctrine. This man felt convinced of the Sabbath truth, for as he said, he read in Luke, 23d chapter, that those women who followed Jesus kept the Sabbath according to the commandment. Our brethren ask that we pray for this man, for at present he is trying to keep two days, else he will be cast out of the church of which he is now a member.

A scene in China blending the old and the new. The aeroplane in sight is that of a French aviator who is making weekly flights in Shanghai.

In such instances as these, do we not see clearly that God is working upon men's hearts, preparing the way for a quick work to be done? In one instance a man came to one of our mission stations and secured some literature. He seemed to be an earnest seeker after truth, but later developments showed that this was not the case. Upon returning home he threw the literature aside. A friend came to call upon him, and noticing our papers, asked for the loan of them. Taking them home, this man, who was like the noble Bereans, studied the literature carefully, comparing it with the Scriptures, and finally, after some months of study, began the observance of God's commandments. In spite of sickness, during the last two years he has been a power in the work in Central China. Through the letters and literature that he sent to a friend in another province, this friend also took his stand to keep the commandments of God, and began at once to make known the new-found truth. (This man is the middle one of the three seen in the accompanying photograph.) As a result a company was soon raised up, and another province opened. There are now in this province over twenty Sabbath-keepers.

The fire at Colon, Panama, which burned six blocks in one hour on three streets, three churches, one mission house, our printing plant, and the homes of our workers. The cross shows where our publishing house stood. Sister Haines, whose family lost all, sends the photo.